Beef Stroganoff - 0 SF point

Beef Stroganoff

Makes 6 servings,  0 SF points each

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef sirloin steak
• 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1½ cups beef broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1½ cup fat-free sour cream
• 8 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles
• salt and pepper for seasoning

Preperation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Heat a large pot of water over high heat.  Begin by trimming any excess fat from the steak.  Slice beef into thin slices, about ¼ inch thick. Season steak with salt and pepper.  Add 2 teaspoons of canola oil into skillet.  Add steak to skillet evenly, trying not to overlap pieces.  Let beef brown on both sides and remove from pan.  It is okay if it is not cooked through, it will finish cooking in sauce later.
2. Add remaining 1 teaspoon of canola oil into pan.  Add onions and mushrooms to pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until onions have softened.  Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add 1 cup of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup to pan.  Add beef back to pan.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Pour remaining ½ cup beef broth into a small container with a lid.  Add flour to broth, put lid on container and shake together until no lumps of flour remain.  By now, the water should be boiling; cook egg noodles according to package.
5. Add flour-broth mixture to skillet and turn heat back to medium high.  Bring mixture to boil, stirring while the sauce thickens.  Add sour cream, and once the mixture boils again, turn off heat.  Taste sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.  Let sauce sit for 5 minutes.  Add cooked noodles to skillet, and stir to coat with sauce.  Serve.

Hash Brown Casserole - 1 SF point

Hash Brown Casserole

Makes 9 servings (1 cup each) at 1 SF point each

 Adapted from a Cooking Light Recipe

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fat-free extra-sharp cheddar cheese 
• 2 tablespoons fat-free butter/margarine 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1½ cups  (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of celery soup
• 1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until bubbly.

Options

• Upgrade to reduced-fat cheese, or full-fat cheese for just 1 point more per serving
• Upgrade to real butter for 1 point more per serving
• The difference between the healthy version of canned soup and regular soup is too miniscule on a point scale to matter, it is still a healthier sodium choice
• Add up to six slices of chopped, cooked crisp, bacon for 1 more indulgent point
• For a cheesier option, omit cream of celery soup, and use cheddar cheese soup, nacho cheese soup, or even broccoli cheese soup instead.  The difference in points should be so minimal not to count

Mexican Pasta Skillet - 0 SF points

Mexican Pasta Skillet

Makes 6 Servings, 0 Simply Filling Points Per Serving

Ingredients

• 1 pound 93% ground beef
• 16 ounce jar salsa
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1½ cup water
• 2 cups uncooked multi-grain or whole-wheat macaroni
• 1 cup corn kernels

Preparation

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking into crumbles.  Drain excess fat.
2. To the skillet, add salsa, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil.  Add macaroni.  Reduce heat and cover, simmering 12-15 minutes, until macaroni is cooked to your likeness.  
3. Add corn kernels, stir, and let the skillet sit for 5 minutes.  Serve.

Options

• For a cheesy indulgence: sprinkle skillet with up to ½ cup (2 ounces) shredded cheese for a 1 point increase.
• For added texture: sprinkle skillet with up to 24 crushed tortilla chips for a 1 point increase 

Caramelized Onion Dip - 0 SF points

Caramelized Onion Dip

Makes 6 ½ cup servings at 0 SF points a piece

Ingredients

• 6 teaspoons canola oil
• 3 medium onions, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
• 1½ cup fat-free sour cream
• 8 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• ½ teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt and pepper for taste 
• veggies (or chips for the adventurous) for dipping

 

Preparation 

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium.  Add onions, and stir continuously.  The goal here is not to saute the onions, but to slowly break them down and concentrate their flavors.  After the onions have released most of their liquids and are starting to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes, I begin to add chicken broth, a couple tablespoons at a time, to help the onions along.  When the liquid has evaporated, I add a couple more tablespoons.  I continue this process until the onions have reached a golden color and have dramatically decreased in size. (This usually takes about 45 minutes).  I may have not had to use all the broth.
2. While the onions cool, mix the sour cream, cream cheese, granulated onion, Worcestershire sauce and parsley together. 
3. When the onions have cooled, coarsely chop them and add them to sour cream mixture.  Mix well.  Taste, add salt and pepper to season to your preference,